Lamp for fluorescent illumination



-May 25, 1965 J. MULLER ETAL LAMP FOR FLUORESCENT ILLUMINATION 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1962 (70.5151 NUL 45/2 KARL L Ems-ms 7:515

May 25, 1965 J. MULLER ETAL LAMP FOR FLUORESCENT ILLUMINATION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1962 FIG. 3

/NVEWOP$ JOSEF M014. ER K A R1. L'o' WEIVSTE/N ATTY May 25, 1965 J. MULLER ETAL LAMP FOR FLUORESCENT ILLUMINATION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1962 Mmwmp; J 0551- N04 4. ER KARL Lb'MENsTE/Yv May 25, 1965 J. MULLER ETAL Filed June 29, 1962 LAMP FOR FLUORESCENT ILLUMINATION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 III 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/b In l m AWE/W095 Jo 55F Md}. 4 5,2 KAR L L 5WEAI$TEYN 54 w WM y 1965 J. MULLER ETAL. 3,185,835

LAMP FOR FLUORESCENT ILLUMINATION Filed June 29, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Joszr N64. 1. 5/2

KARL L 6W5: ref/v 3r United States Patent 3,185,835 LAMP FOR FLUORESCENT ELLUMlNATlflN Josef Miiller and Karl Liiwenstein, Neheim-Hnsten, Germany, assignors to Trilux-Lenze K.G., Neheim-Husren, Germany, a firm Filed June 29, 1962, Ser. No. 206,342 Claims priority, application Germany, .luly 3, 1%1,

T 13,493; Jan. 1; 1962, T 14,235 6 Claims. (Cl. 24ll51.11)

This invention relates to a lamp for fluorescent illumination.

Lamps for fluorescent illumination are frequently provided inside their metal lamp casing with a reflector, on top of which are fastened series connecting devices, capacitors, and so on, and at its bottom the lamp sockets. In general, the reflector is mounted in the lamp casing in such a way that it can be turned down sidewise and taken ofl in order to have the parts suspended from the reflector and the inside of the casing accessible. In the hitherto known lamps, however, the reflector with its associated elements could only be mounted when the lamp casing had already been mounted on a ceiling or the like, for only 'the horizontal operational position of the lamp casing guaranteed a secure position of the reflector.

The present invention suggests new ways and means for mounting a reflector in a lamp casing, which render it possible to mount the reflector with its sockets, series connecting devices, and so on, in the lamp casing already prior to shipment. The manner of mounting proposed by the invention guarantees the fixed position of the reflector, irrespective of the position of the lamp. The sockets, series connecting devices, and so on, mounted on the reflector cannot, therefore, be damaged during the shipment. Nevertheless, the mounting guarantees that the reflector can he turned down and removed from the finished lamp.

According to the invention, a lamp for fluorescent illumination comprises a casing, a reflector adapted to be hung in within said casing and so mounted therein as to be turnahle downwardly, series connecting devices, sockets and lamps mounted on said reflector, and a hinge on one side of said reflector and a spring lock on the other side of said reflector, both acting in a self-locking manner when said reflector is hinged up into the operational position.

In one form of construction, the spring lock comprises a hingedly mounted plate, a cut-out is provided in said plate, a cam is mounted to the casing and a spring acts upon the plate to urge the same towards the casing so that the cut-out in the plate encircles the casing-mounted earn from three sides. An extension is expediently formed on the plate, which projects beyond the reflector and serves for disengaging the cut-out from the cam.

Advantageously, on the hinged side of the reflector a projecting finger is provided on the reflector, a turned-up piece is mounted to the casing and a slot is formed in the turned-up piece, the finger on moving the reflector into its operational position producing a self-locking action by engaging in the slot in the turned-up piece.

The hinge may consist of a bearing element which is mounted at the inside of the casing, a hook being provided on the bearing element, a reflector-mounted supporting element resting on the hook in the operational position, and an upper bent-over portion of the bearing element contacting the supporting element in that operational position and thus preventing shifting of the reflector towards the casing. Expediently, a bent-up portion is provided on the reflector, to the inside of which the supporting element is mounted and a slot is formed in the reflector through which the supporting element continues downwards.

The advantage of the construction proposed by the invention consists in that the entire hinge is made up of merely two correspondingly shaped and punched sheet metal parts.

In an alternative form of construction, the spring lock comprises a catch, a bent-up portion is provided on the reflector, a spring acts to urge the catch from the inside against the bent-up portion of the reflector and a slot is formed in the reflector, through which the spring catch proceeds downwards, so that on lifting-off the spring catch the edge of the slot acts as a fulcrum. Expediently, a T-shaped spring retainer holds the spring acting on the catch and is turnably inserted from outside through the bent-up portion of the reflector and through the spring catch and a spring abutment is secured to the free end of the shank of the spring retainer, the spring being a helical spring which is carried on the shank of the spring retainer and acts between the catch and the spring abutment.

This design of the spring lock is such that the catch element on the reflector as well as the casing-mounted holding element are one-piece sheet metal parts, simple and low-priced in construction and in assembly.

Two preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross section through a lamp for fluorescent illumination according to the invention with the reflector in hinged-up position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the reflector in position hinged down hallways;

PEG. 3 is a similar view showing the reflector as being hinged up;

FIG. 4 is a similar view showing the lamp upside down and clearly illustrating the self-locking effect of the spring lock;

FIG. 5 is a cross section through another embodiment of the lamp, showing the reflector in operating position;

FIG. 6 is a similar view, however, the reflector being in hinged down position;

FIG. 7 is an elevation along line VII--VII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an elevation along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a cross section showing the spring catch shortly before snapping-in; and

FIG. 10 is a view showing the helical spring, the spring retainer and the spring abutment of FIG. 5 in more detail in disassembled state.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a metal lamp casing 1, a reflector 2 with series connecting devices 3 and sockets and lamps 4.

The right-hand side of the reflector 2 in FIGS. 1 to 3 is sloping and provided with a strap 6, to the front of which a cam 7 is attached. This cam 7 rests rotatably arranged in a turned-up piece 5 mounted to the lamp casing 1. A

finger 8 on the reflector 2. projects through a slot 9 in the turned-up piece 5 when the reflector 2 is in its operational position. Owing to this the reflector 2 cannot become loosened at this side when the lamp is in upside-down position shown in FIG. 4.

The opposite side of the reflector is also sloping and provided with a support It) on which is hingedly mounted a plate 11 which by means of a spring 14 is pressed outwards. On swinging up the reflector 2 (FIG. 3), a slope 16 on the plate 11 engages a casing-mounted cam 13 and a cut-out 12 in the plate 11 snaps in (*FIGS. 1 and 4) and encircles the cam 13 from three sides. In this way a shifting of the reflector 2 is absolutely impossible, irrespective of the position of the lamp. An extension 15 of the plate 11 projecting beyond the reflector 2 serves for disengaging the cut-out 12 from the cam 13. FIGS. 5 to 9 show a lamp casing 21 and an installed reflector 22. At the hinged side the reflector 22 has a bent-up portion 23 to which a supporting element 25 is attached by a weld 24. This element passes through a slot 26 in the reflector 22 and continues below same.

A bearing element 27 with a hook 28 is fastened to the lamp casing 21. The hook 28 carries the lower edge of the supporting element 25 attached to the reflector 22. Laterally protruding tongues 31 (FIG. 8) of the supporting element 25 secure the reflector against longitudinal shifting. An upper bent-over portion 2? of the bearing element 27 contacts the top edge of the supporting element 25 and thus prevents a shifting of the reflector 22 towards the wall of the lamp casing.

The supporting element 25 is provided with a cut-out 32 which serves for hanging in and turning down the reflector 22. The free end 33 of the hook 28 of the bearing element 2'7 is ableon turning down the reflectorto enter into the cut-out 32. Also when hanging in the reflector, the free end 33 of the hook 28 gets hooked into the cut-out 32. To facilitate this procedure, the hook 33 is provided with sloping approach surfaces. The entire hinge consists merely of the two sheet metal parts 25 and 27. V

A spring catch 40 is located at the opposite side of the lamp. Here, the reflector 22 has a bent-up portion 41 and is provided with a slot 43. The spring catch 40, which is arranged inside of the bent-up portion 41, passes through this slot 43 and continues downwards. The spring catch 40 is kept in position by a helical spring 4-2.

On snapping-in, an upper rounded extension 47 of the spring catch 40 contacts a holding element 46, the spring catch 40 being lifted from the bent-up portion 41 at an angle and against the action of the spring 42. The spring catch 40 turns about the bottom edge of the bent-up portion 41, i.e., where the slot 43 is located. The same will take place when the spring catch, in case it is desired to disengage the catch, is lifted off by pressure exerted against its lower extension 48.

The spring 42 is held by a T-shaped spring retainer 44 which is inserted from the outside through the bent-up portion 41 and through the spring catch 40, the flanges of the T-shaped spring retainer being located at the outside. The apertures in the bent-up portion 41 and in the spring catch 40 enable the retainer 44 to turn sufliciently. The shank of the spring retainer 44 extends through the helical spring 42 which is positioned to act between the spring catch 40 and a spring abutment 45 secured to the free end of said shank. In FIG. 10 the helical spring 42, the spring retainer 44 and the spring abutment 45 are shown in more detail in disassembled state.

This type of spring catch excels through its simplicity in production and assembly when compared with known spring catches. Also in this case sheet metal parts of simple construction are used. The spring catch shown in elevation in FIG. 7 is a one-piece sheet metal, the upper rounded extension 47 and the lower extension 48 being portions formed for operational purposes. Two laterally protruding lugs 49 are also shaped pieces of the spring catch. Owing to the presence of these lugs 49 it is possible to obtain a slot 50, which in the snapped-in state engages the holding element 46, by a simple milling operation. A trough '51 being placed in position, its inner 2 top edge rests against the lower extension 48 of the spring catch which is, therefore, locked.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

We claim:

1. A lamp comprising a casing, a reflector, hinge means swingably mounting the reflector within the casing, said hinge means including a supporting element and a bearing element, said supporting element being joined to a bent portion of said reflector, said bearing element being joined to an inner surface portion of said casing, said bearing element terminating at a lower portion in a hook and at an upper portion in a bent portion directed toward the bent portion of the reflector, said supporting element having a first portion received in said hook and a second portion in underlying abutment with said'upper bent portion of the bearing element whereby disengagement of the supporting and bearing elements is precluded when the reflector. is secured in the casing, and catch-means for securing the reflector in the casing.

2. The lamp as defined in claim 1 wherein said supporting element first portion includes an opening for receiving said hook upon the swinging movement of said reflector to a position exposing the interior of said casing.

3. The lamp as defined in claim 1 wherein the supporting element first portion includes laterally directed tongues embracing said hook.

4. The lamp as defined in claim 1 wherein said hook terminates in a tapering end defined byoblique edges for guiding cooperation with said supporting element.

5. The lamp as defined in claim 1 wherein the reflector includes a second bent portion opposite said first mentioned reflector bent portion, a catch-receiving opening adjacent said second bent portion, said catch projecting through said catch-receiving opening at opposite sides of said reflector, and spring means between said second bent portion and a portion of the catch projecting through said opening adjacent said second bent portion.

6. The lamp as defined in claim 5 wherein a T-shaped retainer holds the spring means between the catch and the second bent portion, said retainer being rotatably received in an opening in said second bent portion and a spring abutment secures the retainer to the spring means remote from the second bent portion opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,587,920 3/52 Stubbs 240-51.11 2,606,998 8/52 Winkler et a1 240-5 1.11 2,926,238 2/60 Anderson et al. 24051.'1-1 3,065,338 11/62 Husby et al 240-147 X NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LAMP COMPRISING A CASING, A REFLECTOR, HINGE MEANS SWINGABLY MOUNTING THE REFLECTOR WITHIN THE CASING, SAID HINGE MEANS INCLUDING A SUPPORTING ELEMENT AND A BEARING ELEMENT, SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT BEING JOINED TO A BENT PORTION OF SAID REFLECTOR, SAID BEARING ELEMENT BEING JOINED TO AN INNER SURFACE PORTION OF SAID CASING, SAID BEARING ELEMENT TERMINATING AT A LOWER PORTION IN A HOOK AND AT AN UPPER PORTION IN A BENT PORTION DIRECTED TOWARD THE BENT PORTION OF THE REFLECTOR, SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT HAVING A FIRST PORTION RECEIVED IN SAID HOOK AND A SECOND PORTION IN UNDERLYING ABUTMENT WITH SAID UPPER BENT PORTION OF THE BEARING ELEMENT WHEREBY DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SUPPORTING AND BEARING ELEMENTS IS PRECLUDED WHEN THE REFLECTOR IS SECURED IN THE CASING, AND CATCH MEANS FOR SECURING THE REFLECTOR IN THE CASING. 